DONE DEAL: Oxford United sign Man Utd midfielder Joe Rothwell

The League One outfit, managed by former Reds player Michael Appleton, agreed a two-year deal with the 21-year-old, who came through the ranks at Old Trafford.

Rothwell had loan spells at Blackpool and Barnsley during his time at United and, despite being disrupted by injury and illness last term, he was promoted to the substitutes’ bench for the first-team game against Watford in March.

He made nine appearances for Warren Joyce’s Under-21 champions in 2015/16 and scored a key winning goal in the Manchester derby at that level in February.